Lighting system for automobiles



W. F. PENROD.

LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5, I917- Patented J 111 4, 192.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTO/P/VEK UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN PENROD, OF BLANCHESTER, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO ANTHONY J. WISSEL AND MAX S. WISE, BOTH OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, PARTNERS DOING BUSINESS AS AUTO SALES AND SERVICE COMPANY.

LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed August 15, 1917'. Serial No. 186,315.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FRANKLIN ren and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lighting Systems for Automobiles, of which the followin is a specification. a i

y invention relates to light controlling devices for automobiles having a plurality of lamps supplied from a source of varying current voltage dependent on the motor speed, such for example as a motor-drivengenerator with permanent field magnets, by means of which, at the desire of the operator, the electric current employed in lighting both lamps, may be wholly or partly directed through one in order to temporar ly gain a greater illumination thereby while still maintaining if desired some efiiciency in the other light. Many laws require that both lights shall be kept lighted at all times and this invention complies with such laws while providing the increased illumination at times desired.

. In the system at present used, to provide increased illumination, a special hand switch is employed to cut out one lamp and allow the entire current topass through the other. Such increased illumination is needed, as a rule. only in conditions of possibleboth lamps. With these present devices, it

sometimes happens that when motor speed increased, the car operator neglects through inadvertence or pre-occupation to release thec'ut out switch and the excess of current through one lamps is allowed to continue until the lamp is burnt out.

My invention, which is applicable to the very large class of automobiles in which the gear-change control is effected by the foot, provides a control of the light by the same foot; and is so constructed and arranged as that the operation of the lightcontrol is'alternative with that of the gearcontrol and is maintained only by continued foot-pressure and is self-releasing when such pressure is discontinued.

The cut-out of the second lampwhich may be partial or total-is therefore made temporary; and is maintained bythe direct v and continuing act of the operator; and the release of the same (when a change of gear is desired) becomes automatic and instinctive and is, so to speak, absorbed in the act of i changing the gears and is therefore not subject to neglect or forgetfulness of the operator; and the hands of'the operator are left entirely free. 7

My invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the lamps and feed circuits with the additional ground connection embodying my invention; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the gearshifting pedals and the additional ground circuit, with the relative positions of the foot shown in dotted line. g

Referring now to the drawings, A A designate the lamps of an automobile connected across the body of the car by the electric conductor a and from the second lamp a by electric conductor a to a ground 9 usually on the radiator. The supply of current is 'from the magneto M to ignition, to the horn and to the lamps A A by conductor a having a cut off switch S at the lamp side. (The electric connections to ignition and to the horn are not shown in the drawing.)

At present, in order to cut out one of the lamps and pass the entire lamp-current through. the other, an ordinary hand switch is employed or an automatic switch involvbe closed it must in order to avoid burning out the lamp, be released before throwing the car into neutral or low gear, and therefore requires continuing and special attention, which, in the multiplicity of otherv cares, is often neglected and damage ensues.

My invention consists in giving to the being no part of this invention,

foot that operates the gear-control, control also, of an independent ground .circuit from a connection between the lamps through the medium of an automatically-opening switch located in immediate proximity to the gearcontrol. Thisis best carried out by supply ing an alternative electric conductor a connecting with the conductor a between the lamps and to a ground g with an electric resistance C, introduced somewhere between where a connects to a and where a connects to 9 suitable resistance may be obtained by the use of a small electric lamp which could be used for other purposes such as a dash light or tail light. At some convenient point on the electric conductor a, I place a foot switch S standing normally open and held closed only by continued pressure of the foot. It is preferably an arm of elastic metal adapted to be deflected by a push-button S to make contact but normally springing back out of contact by its own resiliency when released, and preferably located upon such a convenient part of the frame as is most readily accessible to the operators foot with which he changes the gears, adjacent to the gear lever. A cut out electric connection a and a switch S provide means for avoiding the effect of the re sistance C if at any time the current is so weak, its full intensity is of necessity to be concentrated in the lamp A The relative positions of parts as shown in Figure 2, in which the foot lever L (for low speed and clutch); R (for reverse); and B (for brake), are shown side by side, and adjacent to lever L at the left is shown the light control (push button) S The normal positions of the operators feet F andl are, in relation to the other elements, shown in dottedoutline, the left foot being relatively situated between the biased open switch S of the auxiliary light control circuit, at one side, and the low-speed gear-control L, at its other-sid.e, both operated by the same foot, compels a limitation of use of the foot at one or the other side alternately.

Thus the switch S is operated with the same foot by which the car is thrown into low or neutral and, therefore, the switch must necessarily be released before this can be done. The act of releasing is, as it were, instinctive because it is part of the act of operating the gears because the foot must be raised from the lamp cut-out switch S in order to place it on the'gear-lever and thus prevention of burning out a lamp is definitel assured. Even where the lawdoes not require both lights to be kept lighted it is generally conceded to be desirable to do so because persons coming from the opposite direction can better judge the width of themachine and, therefore, avoid collision. By the use of my invention, the operator has practically all the advantage of the old types of illumination increasing devices while providing the security that careful operators require and affording protection for the lamp into which the light is concentrated. The mechanism employed is quite inexpensive, is positive in its results and as it .1n-' volves no complicated parts, does not readily get out of order. or wear out by use.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In an electric light system for automobiles having a plurality oflamps in series, a source of current supply with voltage dependent on the speed of the motor; a gear control of motor speed operated by a foot pedal biased to the position of low generator voltage; an independent ground connection leading outward from the lamp circuit between the first and subsequent lamp or lamps; and a switch in said ground connection biased to normally open position and an operative foot pedal adjacent to the gear control pedal in such relation that both pedals are operated by the same foot alternately.

2. In an automobile electric lighting system having a plurality of lamps in series; a source of current supply of varying voltage dependent on motor speed, a normally open auxiliary ground connection leading out of the lamp circuit between the first and subsequent lamps; a closing switch in said auxiliary ground connection; biased to open position; a foot pedal for temporarily closing said switch by foot pressure; change gears and afoot pedal for shifting said gears, biased to the position in which the generator voltage is low, said foot pedals being located side by side in such position and space relation as necessary to be operated by the same foot in alternation.

3. In an electric lighting system for auto-' mobiles, the combination with a variable potential generator, at headlight lamp; an electric circuit, connecting said generator and said lamp; voltage reducing means in said circuit for reducing the voltage supplied to said lamp; and a gear control pedal biased to high gear position; of controlmeans for rendering said voltage reducing means ineffective; said control means being biased to inoperative position and situated adjacent to said gear pedal, and being operable alternately with said pedal by the same foot.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W. FRANKLIN PENROD.

Witnesses:

'MABEL E. HARPER,

J. C. ROETTINGER. 

